A Thin Line Between Friendship and Love
by Tripenguinman
Summary: Kowalski can't deny his feelings for Skipper anymore. But Skipper doesn't feel the same way. So he can only do two things. Try to use science to straighten himself, or win Skipper's heart. First ever Skipper/Kowalski Contains: Adult content and language.
1. Prologue

Yeah, call me perverted if you want but this is just an experimental story and will not connect with any of my other stories. I respect Skilene.

A THIN LINE BETWEEN FRIENDSHIP AND LOVE

PROLOGUE

_Come on. You know this isn't right. You know this is just a little impulse. Just ignore it. You don't like anyone like that. Especially Skipper. Remember what happened when you tired to say you loved him. He doesn't like you like that anyway. You are straight. You are straight. Come on Kowalski. Just remember what happened when you said that to him… "Skipper," You said "I like you." And he said "Well I like you too, Kowalski." And remember how your heart leapt. But then: "You're like my long lost brother." And then you pushed it. "No I mean, more than that." And you raised an eyebrow at you. "Like how?" And then you said: "Like how you like Marlene." Marlene is girlfriend. And then he looked at you, scared for a moment and then started laughing, and slapped your back. "You've been fooling around with an invention again, haven't you?" He said. "No I-…" you tried to say but he wouldn't listen. "Oh, Kowalski. You need to take some breaks, I almost thought you were gay there for a second." And he left._

_ And yet I can't help it. No science disproves homosexuality as an animal instinct. So what's wrong with me? Is there something wrong with my brain? Some kind of overactive hormone or something? Brain damage? You can't really like Skipper like that. You can't love him anymore than a brother or friend. But it keeps biting at me. Skipper's so braving, so strong, so… and taken by Marlene. Damn her. I want Skipper. I've never been a lady's man. Maybe that's why I want Skipper? Someone who understands me? I could never please a woman. I'm too caught up in my work. And yet there's room in my heart for Skipper. He's always said he's married to his work, and so am I… but he loves Marlene too._

_ I wish I was Marlene. Wow I sound like a freak. But is this proving my passion for Skipper? Or am I just some retard? God, I can't seem to face up to the facts. I want that man, but why? Sure he's attractive but why to me? He should be attractive to females like Marlene. God, I want to kill her. I see her kissing. Hugging him. My God, how can I compete? What does Skipper see in her? She's just an otter. And yet I envy her more than Albert Einstein. Why can't I shake these feelings? Why am I so confused? Maybe I could invent something to fix my mind. Yes! Eureka! I'll straighten my sexuality. I'll find some way to correct my attractions. I just have to find out what's wrong._

***

Anyway, that's the start. Please review.


	2. Chapter 1

Here's the next chapter. Please enjoy.

A THIN LINE BETWEEN FRIENDSHIP AND LOVE

CHAPTER ONE

_Okay this the fifth time I've tried this. I put on the mind reading helmet and switched it on. Once again I woke up, aching and with blackened feathers and burning and stinging skin. Damn, I keep getting shocked and never get a result. Maybe I should just look it up. The laptop the chimps liberated from the Lost and Found should work. I sat back and switched it on. It began loading. 2'o'clock in the morning. Wow. I wish I could sleep. But with all these thoughts in my head, I just can't. Not that I've never been overloaded like this. I overload my brain a lot when working on complicated inventions. But this is different. This is love. Something I fail to comprehend. I thought of asking Private how could I ever tell him that I'm gay?_

_ Private probably doesn't even know what homosexuality is. I wish he did. So it would be easier for me to ask him. But how would he take my 'little' crush. I wish I was at least bisexual. Then I wouldn't care. Then I could at least like a girl. But no I'm stuck gay. Damn… this is tough. I don't even know when this started. I guess I've always loved Skipper. But how could this be possible. Alright here's Google. Okay 'what causes homosexuality?' Alright a yahoo answers link, clicked on it. Damn this is humans. Alright back. Let's try… 'What causes homosexuality in penguins' Search. Arg! There's nothing on it. 'Can penguins be gay'? Hmmm… that link could work. Click. Alright. Let's see what we have here._

_Scientist have study penguins for many years and their sexual behaviors. _

_Blah, blah._

_Two years ago, two male penguins in a research lab showed signs of attraction to each other, after doing a mating dance together, although they did not attempt to mate, most likely, they knew it was impossible with the penguin's reproductive organs being…_

_I know about that already._

_Some scientist have claimed to have dissected the brain of a homosexual penguin and found that an overactive hormone (not specified) caused the behavior. Five of these claims turned out to be false, but one did appear to be true but the full story is classified government information. Penguins have shown homosexual behavior in thought and wants to mate but have never actually proven this. Like Dolphins, penguins do not always mate for the sake of reproduction but sometimes for pleasure. Though this is extremely rare they have been proven to engage in this and often interact almost violently when in the act of foreplay. _

_Alright, this is all I need to know._

_ I backed out of the link. Hmmm… should I add that to favorites? Nah, Skipper or Rico might find it. Alright, let's see if there are any treatments. I better go with the blunt subject, there probably isn't a category for penguins. Alright: 'Are there cures for homosexuality?' Search. Alright, 'Treatments for homosexuality', that ought to work. _

_Are people born homosexual? _

_The republishing of 2001 research has rekindled this smoldering debate and created a firestorm within academia, reports the London daily Independent. _

_A study based on interviews with 200 men and women who claimed to have switched their homosexual preferences demonstrates some "gays" are capable of becoming "predominantly" heterosexual through psychotherapy. _

_"In some of the subjects, the reports of change in sexual orientation were substantial, credible and believable," said Robert Spitzer, the professor of psychiatry at Columbia University in New York who conducted the study. _

_"The subjects' self-reports of change appear to be, by and large, valid, rather than gross exaggerations, brain-washing or wishful thinking," Spitzer said in a summary of his analysis, according to the Washington Post. _

_Spitzer's research has been republished in the current issue of Archives of Sexual Behavior. _

_The 200 subjects, mostly from the U.S. and Canada, participated in "self control" therapy which entailed avoiding tempting situations, stopping erotic thoughts from developing or mixing socially with straight men and women in non-sexual situations. _

_According to the findings, all 143 men and 57 women claimed the therapy altered their view of the same sex to some extent. All reported maintaining the change for at least five years. _

_"The current, politically correct view is that this therapy never works. I think it doesn't work a lot of the time but in some people it does," said Spitzer. "I do believe that people who are bothered by their homosexuality have a right to have this therapy." _

_Spitzer is considered an authority on the subject. In 1973, he was instrumental in having homosexuality removed from the American Psychiatric Association's list of mental illnesses. He maintains most homosexuals are happy with their sexual preference, but a minority are not and seek to change. _

_Critics of "reparative therapy" pan the study as flawed and argue the technique is only effective in getting people to resist their instincts. _

_Spitzer disagrees. _

_"This study provides evidence that some gay men and lesbians are able to also change the core features of sexual orientation. Almost all of the participants reported substantial changes in the core aspects of sexual orientation, not merely overt behavior," he said. _

_John Bancroft, a sexologist at Indiana University's Kinsey Institute in Bloomington said he wanted to know the specifics of what the therapy involved. _

_"At best, it has been a long process, with a substantial minority still continuing in ongoing therapy after many years," he said. _

_Bancroft is also suspicious about the sample used because it consisted of men and women who sought treatment – primarily from religious organizations – because of their religious beliefs. _

_Supporters meanwhile hail the research for dispelling the notion homosexuality is "hard-wired" at birth, and therefore irreversible. _

_"Gay" advocates scoff at the notion of counseling to reshape sexual identity. _

_"It's simplistic and insulting to someone's intelligence to say you can be completely straight or completely gay," Cathy Renna, a spokeswoman for the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation told the Post. "So many factors come into who we are as individuals." _

_Spitzer's findings sharply contrast with those of an earlier study conducted by New York City psychologists Ariel Shidlo and Michael Schroeder. _

_In this study, only six of 202 "gay" men and lesbians who had been through counseling reported changing their sexual preference to heterosexuality. These subjects were interviewed between 1995 and 2000 for an average of 90 minutes. According to the interviews, 178 failed to change their orientation and 18 reported becoming asexual or conflicted. _

_What's more, the majority of subjects were left with a mistrust for mental health professionals and had to relearn how to form intimate relationships, according to the Post,. Many said they were misled by counselors into thinking homosexuality was caused by child abuse, bad parenting or a disorder. _

_"There are some people who became very injured by failing the therapy and entered a post-treatment reconstruction phase where they spent years trying to recover from the process," Schroeder told the Post in a telephone interview. "There is a lot of self-blame." _

_As if to head off such criticism, Spitzer cautioned in his report that the results of his study "should not be misused to justify coercive treatment." _

_For its part, the American Psychiatric Association refuses to take sides in the debate. Since reversing its stance in 1973 and declaring homosexuality is not a mental disorder, the group has also maintained that homosexuals do not need therapy._

_Alright this is going to take some time…_

_***_

And that my friends is the next chapter. The part about people being born homosexual is all thanks to another website. Here is the URL if any of you are interested: .?ARTICLE_ID=34943. No I did not look this up for my own personal reasons. This was purely for the story. I promise. I am 100% straight.


	3. Chapter 2

Alright, here's the next part. Please enjoy and review.

A THIN LINE BETWEEN FRIENDSHIP AND LOVE

CHAPTER TWO

_Okay, so….. Recap. Some people can change with psychiatric help. So I might not be reversible? Well that sucks. They claimed they became heterosexual. What is that? Man and I call myself a scientist. Of course I'm not in this field. Okay go to Google. 'What does heterosexual mean?' Search. Wikipedia. Alright. A person with sexual orientation to the opposite sex. So, that means I could turn straight. Alright, I've gotta find a psychiatrist and try this out. Oh crap… none for penguins. Well there is a person in this zoo who's good with emotions but Private couldn't do…_

"_Well Kowalski that is…" Private muttered, staring at me in a sort of frightened way._

"_Private, I'm not in love with anyone else besides Skipper." I sighed._

"_That doesn't seem right, Kowalski." Private said._

"_Private," I sighed. "Weather it is right or not, I want you to counsel me and fix me."_

"_Why me?"_

"_You're the love expert."_

_ Private's face twisted a little. I figure the little "damn it, he's got me there" is going through his head._

"_Well I can try." He mumbled._

"_Thank you."_

"_Sit down."_

"_Alright, how do you feel when you're near Skippah?" Private asked._

_I hate this question. The truth is I don't know. _

"_Well… I don't know…" I mumbled._

"_You must feel something."_

"_Well yes… but it's more of a confused feeling, you know?"_

"_No I don't know, Kowalski." He said. "You're in love with another male; I don't know how that feels."_

"_Oh right." _

"_Well, what does this confused feeling, do?"_

"_Umm… well I feel kind of drawn to Skipper when he's near but… also repulsed."_

"_You mean you want to be in love with him and you don't, as well?"_

"_No! I don't want to love him!" I shouted._

_The confused feelings churned. Private had struck something. My stomach went rogue, queasiness pulsing through out it. Oh God, what had Private hit?_

"_Well that's what it sounds like."_

"_Really?" I asked._

"_Yes," Private said. "Now tell me, do you want to love him?"_

"_No… well I don't know…" I mumbled._

_ Do I? Do I want to love Skipper? Well we have been friends for so long… Yeah I've always loved him like a brother and a teammate but do I want him to be more? Do I really want to be a little closer? Snap out of it! You don't. Private's a little thought is making you psyche yourself out. Skipper is only a brother. Not biologically but… argh! Science rambles. _

"_No Private," I said, coming back to focus. "I don't want to be in love with him."_

"_Kowalski," Private looked sheepishly at me. "Pardon my saying this, but I think you're denying yourself." _

"_What?!" I shouted._

"_Look Kowalski," Private said, standing up. "I can't help you until you look this straight in the face."_

"_What'd you mean?!" _

"_You're denying yourself," Private sighed. "I can see it in your eyes. Come back when you gain the courage to actually face this."_

_And he started waddling away. Fury and confusion was bubbling in me._

"_Why would I deny what I want?!" I shouted._

"_End of discussion." Private said over his shoulder and waddled out._

_A got up and waddled over to my bunk and laid down in it._

_ No, Private's wrong. He's just a stupid kid. He doesn't know anything about love. Why did I even ask him? But these thoughts didn't consol me. Was Private right? Really? I can't believe how I keep thinking this, my mind usually gets over problems soon except for love… yeah, no wonder I'm having trouble. Well, maybe I need to ask someone else. Yeah, I will later, but I need to sleep… to clear my head…_


	4. Chapter 3

Finally an update to this story. This is chapter has some strong language.

A THIN LINE BETWEEN LOVE AND FRIENDSHIP

CHAPTER FOUR

_I've gotta be kidding myself. This thing over Skipper is just wrong. Gotta be. I approached the cave Marlene calls home and went inside. Marlene was looking at a picture of Skipper, dreamily. I felt queasy. Oh barf! _

"_Marlene?" I said._

"_What?!" She said jumping and looking at me. "Oh Kowalski, you scared me."_

"_Yeah, I need to talk to you."_

"_Sure what's up?"_

"_There's some kind of hormonal imbalance in my brain of some sort, and I'm having… sexuality issues."_

"_I see," Marlene said slowly, staring at me. "Well, I'm not to familiar with the penguin sex parts-…"_

"_No I mean like sexual orientation."_

"_You mean you're… gay?" _

"…_Yeah…"_

_Marlene stared at me like I had some kind of disturbing disease._

"_Kowalski… I'm a little freaked out."_

"_Well so am I, but the thing is, I keep feeling this attraction to Skipper…"_

"_What?" Marlene asked._

_ I could see jealous and anger growing in her eyes. Damn this isn't good. I clenched my flippers and pushed on._

"_Can you help me?"_

"_Oh I'll help you." She said and smacked me across the face._

_It hurt like hell and my face stung as I turned back, my mouth a gap._

"_What the hell are you doing?!"_

"_Fixing you, you fag!" _

"_I can't help it!"_

"_You're a freak! You'll never take Skipper from me!" She said gearing for another slap when I caught her hand. _

"_I don't want to!"_

"_Creep!" She shouted and pulled out of my grasp._

"_Marlene, get a hold of yourself! Calm down for Christ's sake!"_

"_People like you should be thrown in jail!"_

_I grabbed her and threw her against the wall, holding a flipper against her chest._

"_Listen to me," I said dangerously and I could see the fear in her eyes. "I don't want Skipper! I want you to help me to fix my sexuality! Got it?!"_

_Marlene stared at me in fear. Her chest rose and fell under my flipper and I held her throat with my other flipper, her pulse was racing. _

"_Do you understand my position?!" I whispered. "This was never my choice."_

"_I don't know how." She managed to say. _

"_What are you doing, Kowalski?!" Came a voice from behind me._

_I turned to see Skipper. _


	5. Chapter 4

FINALLY! AN UPDATE! And thank you my friends for the reviews of support. I am jumping with joy right now. (You'll have to trust me about that.)

A THIN LINE BETWEEN FRIENDSHIP AND LOVE

CHAPTER FOUR

_Oh shit. I thought as I looked at Skipper, my flipper slipping from Marlene's chest. She grunted as she hit the floor. Skipper had his flippers on his hips and brow cocked at me. That sort of what the hell was that look, he gives us when we screw up, but I knew what it meant. _

"_Okay Skipper. I know what you're thinking-..." I began, but he cut me off. (When do you ever get a word in on Skipper?)_

"_Here's a funny story Kowalski, what are you doing throwing Marlene up against the wall?" He asked with venom in his voice._

_Oh Skipper, I love you (in more ways than one) but you are so narrow-minded about some things. And you don't give me a word! Okay, think tactical Kowalski. You have better excuses than Skipper, you can figure out what to say without telling him the truth. I always feel like I'm going to vomit when I try to lie to Skipper._

_ I had been quiet for a few moments and I knew Skipper would only say something if he could interrupt me halfway. I thought of what I would say once he did and then went to the hard part of figuring out what to say._

"_I'm waiting." Skipper said._

_Except for that. _

"_Okay the reason is-..." _

"_I ought to kill you, Kowalski." (Straight for the throat.)_

"_Want to let me get a word in, Skipper?" I yelled._

_ Skipper's eyes widened for a moment in surprise but narrowed again, but a little bit of admiration glinted in that oasis of black in the middle of those two circular icebergs and made my stomach turn over the way a young school boy might when his crush winks at him. This hindered me for a moment and my voice cracked as I opened my beak, but I regained my confidence. _

"_Alright." Skipper interrupted again._

_Once again, admiration in that strong voice. I felt like a trail blazer and a rebel when I spoke against Skipper. None of the team ever went against his commanding voice. A voice that could chill your soul and warm your heart. _

_ I sighed after the cut off and then looked him up and down before returning to his eyes, trying to stay focused on his anger instead of those other emotions that swam about that sea in inside his head. This way I could make my case, truth or not. Funny how quickly I changed my outlook of "all lie". I opened my mouth but hell will ice over before I speak._

"_He wanted me to kiss him." Marlene said from behind me and I looked back at her, in mild shock and rage. I was only mildly surprised because these things always do happen don't they? But it still wrenched my intestines._

"_is this true, Kowalski?" Skipper asked._

_ I looked around at him in surprise. Since when did Skipper ever ask the accused if they were guilty? Well I had been able to stand up to him, maybe he thought I might have some truth inside me._

"_Are you interested in weather I say yes or no?" I asked, timidly. _

"_No." Skipper said solemnly, pushing me aside with a flipper against my chest._

_I suppose this is how love is. Even in bad circumstances, a touch from the love interest can make your heart sing. Mine did but also burst into flames as he roughly knocked me away from her. He wrapped his flippers about her, and looked at me with acid. So much for hope. _

"_Kowalski," He said, and his eyes searched mine. "We... will talk about this later. Go to the HQ. Go in your lab and close the door. I don't want you talking to anybody else. I'll be there in a few minutes to see if you obeyed." _

_ The lab door opened like the gate of a prison and Skipper's head poked in through the crack. I looked up at him. I hadn't bothered to turn on the lights so the tears that had somehow escaped me were hidden in the gloom. Skipper still had that look of hatred on his face and I felt more coming but held them in for the moment. Skipper retracted his head and the door slammed. My tears came again but I heard muffled voices outside the door and quickly got up to listen. _

"_Stand guard Rico. Keep Kowalski locked in there." Skipper was saying._

_My beak quivered in the dark. Rico gave a confused grunt. _

"_He's just in lock down for a little bit."_

_I heard Rico regurgitate sometime and heard the sound of knives rubbing together. _

"_No, no. No need for torture. Just keep him in there and don't speak to him. Not even if he talks to you."_

_Rico grunted in agreement. _

"_I'll be here to deal with him later."_

_Rico grunted again and Skipper must have left, for it was silent for a few moments and then something that still touches my heart. _

"_I sworry." Rico murmured through the door._

_My tears came then. I translated: "I'm sorry." _

"_Thank you, Rico." I said, with the strongest voice I could muster._

_Rico gave a strong grunt and then fell silent. I knew that all that was going to be said or needed to be said was done and I went and sat down and cried. _


	6. Chapter 5

To all readers who find the Italicizing annoying, mind waiting until the resolution to find out why? You'll notice none of my other stories do that…

A THIN LINE BETWEEN FRIENDSHIP AND LOVE

CHAPTER FIVE

_I don't really know how long it was, but then again I didn't really care. I just sat there as someone on death roll might. I've been surprised by how many metaphors and similes I've been able to make without attacking them with logic-… But of course I'm over-analyzing again. I guess because sitting in the dark waiting for someone you're unwillingly in love with to come kill you with a large pointed object will do that to you. Of course I don't know that Skipper plans to kill me, but then again, why not? From that stupid, false story Marlene gave, my neck could be between Skipper's flippers in whatever amount of time he intends to take._

_ More maybe he'll just beat me up. But Private seemed to accept it, so how would he explain this to Private? Then again, Private is like Skipper's son. If Skipper tells him to shut it, he'll do it and say no more. But maybe Private would try to help, but he couldn't do anything. I-…_

_ The opening of the door cut me off my rambling to myself in my head and my heart began to burn again. Every thought of what Skipper might do to me ran screaming through my head but as I looked up I saw a un-penguin-like form in the doorway. The light flicked on and a certain otter stood there, one I could kill at the moment. Marlene. She looked at me for a moment, but I saw only softness in her green eyes. _

"_Oh Kowalski, you've been crying." She said comfortingly._

"_I-… have not… either way, why shouldn't I?" I spat, turning my head away from her._

"_Look, I'm sorry for what I said back there, but I'm trying to help you-…"_

"_Help me?" I shouted, looking up at her, my eyes narrowed. "How was that 'helping' me? You just blew every chance I had for redeeming myself in Skipper's eyes-…"_

"_Let me explain." She interrupted, coming over and sitting beside me. _

_ I felt like I could do… something very unfriendly to her, which I cannot describe, and I certainly felt powerful, my own height dwarfing her, but I only turned my head away._

"_Kowalski…" She began. "My decisions are not always very well thought out… what I said to you back there… I'm sorry… you deserve Skipper more than I do-…"_

_I sat up rigidly and looked at her in shock. All of a sudden I was no longer mad, but felt like hugging her. But then, the logical part of me tore down my happiness and I slumped again._

"_No. That's not true. I don't deserve or want Skipper." _

"_You're taking this gay thing really hard aren't you?"_

_We have a winner. Marlene, I thought you had a career in science._

"_Well, duh!" I said. "No one will accept me!"_

"_Oh I dunno." She said with a smile. "I think it's kind of cute in a way…"_

_ I found myself blushing at that. Since when had anyone called me cute? Even after the way she acted, I began to feel a little better about Marlene… (But I curse myself if it's just because of that comment. I hate being shallow.) But her actions still needed explaining._

"_Then why did you make up that lie?" I asked._

"_I did it because I wanted to be alone with Skipper. Now I know that sounds selfish, but I wanted to be alone with him so I could explain to him about you. When he was yelling at you I thought about it some and it just started to seem right as I talked to Skipper about it."_

_I found my gut tightening. The icy flippers of anxiety grip every fiber of my being as I built up to the question I was dying to know. But I couldn't say it yet. Or, that's just the way my mind works…_

"_Why are you so accepting of this? I know you like Skipper and he is rightfully yours and definitely no one else-…" _

"_I broke up with Skipper also."_

"_What?"_

_ Hope that I would have chopped a foot off for bloomed in my body and I thought I might faint but I didn't. But darkness followed the hope._

"_I did it because… truthfully… before you came in, I had been toying with the notion of breaking up with him anyway, because… I truthfully don't want a lover right now. I really like Skipper and everything but… I just feel tied down when I date, and though it's awesome, I just want to be free right now. Not that I want to date anyone else, but I'd just like to save it for a different time… also… It was partly because of you Kowalski. You saw the way I acted when you told me you were in love with Skipper and though it was out of love, it was a reckless way to act. I want you to have a chance at Skipper, I want to feel free, and I need to learn more about love."_

_ But now the big one. The question I had been waiting to ask as I had thrown out the first. _

"_So what did he say?" I squeaked very un-macho-like._

"_Truthfully," Marlene said looking down at her paws and I awaited what was surely bad news to my heart. "He told me not to come see you but Rico let me in. But he didn't say anything. He just looked thoughtful, then nodded, then told me not to come see you. So I do need to go." _

_ She stood up and hugged me. I was rigid for a moment before I wrapped my flippers around her. A warm hug from a female still did make me feel good, so I suppose I'm not to far gone. _

"_Good luck with Skipper." She said, slipping out the door._

_Somehow, I felt more confident._


	7. Chapter 6

And so my friends, this brings me to the last chapter. Please enjoy it, and do review and let me know what you think. Though, I'd love it if you told me why you like or dislike the story. I do not own the song quoted.

A THIN LINE BETWEEN FRIENDSHIP AND LOVE

CHAPTER SIX

Stepping into a blind light may be the way to describe how I feel at the moment. Sitting in the dark, recounting the past events that lead to this, and of course, waiting for the future. The future that would shed the light of truth on to my life, and may determine what I feel inside for Skipper, and for myself. And what I will take with me, and what I will leave behind.

And somehow, I can feel Skipper approaching now, and I know I can't wriggle out of this. There's only one word that describes this situation and it's "horrible". No matter which way it turns, this will definitely not go well. Skipper will most likely kill me and accuse me of making Marlene break up with him. If by some chance he was okay with it and did like it, then the rest of the zoo would never accept it. I'm too depressed to figure out the statistics.

Suddenly the door is opening. God, strike me down before I must face him. I stand, looking at the leader. He flips on the light, seeing me there, but a scowl has not graced his face. He's stony eyed and determined, with a hint of sadness. He walks toward me, I myself am preparing to be struck, and so I close my eyes. But no impact touches my face and I open my eyes to see him just sitting there, watching me. If you've ever had a lion look at you with an expression that may make you think he's going to pounce on you and purr like a small kitten, and then suddenly eat you alive, you know I feel at this moment.

I sit back down, staring into his eyes as though my soul is caught in those iceberg whirlpools and he's slowly sucking every last bit of strength out of me. This maybe scarier than actually being hit. He continues to watch me, as though he doesn't know what to think about me and then his beak opens and a sigh escapes, one that I cannot say what emotion it expresses.

"Kowalski," He begins, the way one might begin by reading off one's crimes against his or her species. "You haven't been experimenting on yourself again?"

"No… sir…" I murmur, looking down at my feet.

Somehow I just know how he's looking at me. Sort of in pity in a way, and then as though he's looking at a brother he lost… he may have…

"Then this emotion is all in your head?"

God, does no one understands. He thinks this is just stress or something-…

"And you feel you must live by it?"

Now I realize that inside that leader of mine, there is understanding, and something that was never there before.

"Yes, sir." I murmur.

Of course this is not an easy decision to make. I have not tried to fix myself, have brain surgery or something. I don't need any. I understand that this is how I am, and that whatever happens because of this emotion that no one understands, it will happen no matter how I look at it. Yes I can dab some holy water on my neck, and look up at the heavens and tell God that I am excepting to go to hell. But no one understands that I cannot help it. And no matter what anyone does, it will never change anything. People liked me before the emotion really kicked in, and now they are going to kill me just because of one change? They were never really my friends at all if this is how they may react.

But at this moment, I think Skipper does accept me. I look back up at the penguin and I suddenly feel connected to him again, like I used to. Not just in a romantic way, or a friendly way, but in a brotherly way, the way Skipper always has treated me. He knows that even though this new emotion has formed, I am still his brother, and no one can change that.

"I understand." Skipper says with a slight nod.

"Thank you, sir."

"So, you do love me? More than a brother?"

I hesitate. "Yes, sir."

"I see." He says, getting up.

I look up at him as he moves toward me and a thousands thoughts flash through my head, all with one question; _what will he do? _Will he strike me after all? Does he really not understand as I had thought, and as he claims? Or will he _kiss _me? Oh, heaven and God. I would love that, but I still feel uncomfortable with this whole thing. But he does nothing, only stands before me.

"You know," He said, a tear coming from the corner of one eye and he begins to pace before me. I watch each movement. "Marlene broke up with me."

"Um… did she? I'm sorry." I lie.

"She told you, herself." He said, without a phase of expression. "Don't lie."

"I'm sorry. You're right."

"That's a problem, Kowalski. You need to stop being sorry, and start thinking about everyone else. You've been thinking of only yourself, and what others will think of you for the past few days."

One of the greatest insults of all time for me; is for someone to say I'm only thinking of myself. I do everything I can to show others I care, and it causes to thoughts. One; that they aren't appreciating what I do, two; that I'm not doing enough. Both are complete opposites of one another and make me feel angry and sad at the same time. Skipper's words were no different.

"I-…" Skipper began but I cut him off as I stood up.

"How am I being selfish?" I cry, anger burning in my face. "I try to do all I can to help you, the team, everyone else in this damn zoo, and for once I think about myself, and I'm being selfish? You Skipper are being selfish! You're not thinking of my feelings or anything! I-…"

"That's enough!" Skipper shouts, looking me straight in the face with anger.

Once again, all my power drained, looking into those powerful eyes. I find that Skipper is the master of everything… mostly everything.

"If there's one thing I hate, Kowalski." He spat. "It's being interrupted. Will you let me continued?"

I fall silent, staring back at him. He begins to pace again.

"You have been selfish in a way that you have only thought of how others will think of you, and if you will get what you wish from me. I agree that you do need time to think of yourself but…" He pauses for a moment and then begins again, but stops in front of me, looking down at me. "It needs to end. You, Kowalski need to stop thinking of weather others will accept you. You are you, and no one else can change that. You are going to do with your life what you want, no matter what anyone says, the team will be beside you the entire way."

I felt a few tears welling up in my eyes, but continued blinking them back as the cold stare that had been fixed on me softened. He takes my flippers and raises me from my seat. His face close to mine, he plants a gentle kiss on my cheek. Something I will never forget.

"I love you, Kowalski." He murmurs, patting my shoulder. "But you are my brother. And that is how you will stay."

He then turned and went out of the room, leaving the door open, allowing my freedom. I touch my cheek where is beak had once been and somehow, being his brother is all I'll ever need.

I know that

All that we want

We can't hide

We'll be the best in the world!

-_Just Stop _by Disturbed

AUTHOR'S NOTE

And so that is the end of "A Thin Line Between Friendship and Love". I felt that the last scene of the story would be better told in current perspective and I hope you all have enjoyed reading this as much as I have had writing it. This story is dedicated to all those who are gay and or criticized because of their sexual orientation, race, parents, wealth, sex, or any form of hatred taken upon them. When we realize that we are all the same underneath, may all these people be blessed. (You can quote me on that.)

-Tripenguinman

SPECIAL THANKS TO:

SkullDestroyer and the other Skullbrothers, From Darkness and Light, Skoolgirl09, GrandOldPenguin, the anonymous reviewers, and the other reviewers that have helped support this story.


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